Nine
by h.okada
Summary: 9 months. it will be long. long and hard. for Mikan.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. I'm sure you don't, too. But if I did own it… (devilish laugh) anyways, on with the story.  
**

* * *

**  
****Nine-**

"…How long will you be gone?"

"9 months, but promise you'll wait for me."

"…I-I will."

9 months. A lot can happen—and I mean a LOT—can happen during those months. And he'll be gone for that long.

For Mikan, it will be really hard: living without him for such a long time. Only, she will wait—she has to.

But everything is just pretense, right? Everyone just thought Natsume and Mikan are lovers. That's all: no more, no less. However, maybe both are taking it too far. Now the 'couple' is in a line between lovers and friends, and those choices don't even describe what their relationship is. Still, oblivious of their true feelings, the two teens go on living lives full of confusion and façade. Everyday.

* * *

**Prologue**

"Hotaru!" Mikan ran to her best friend, who's always ready with a baka gun.

"Don't you, Mikan," warned Hotaru as she readied her gun.

Time has passed but they still seemed to be the same as when they were younger. In actions, that is.

"Waaaaah! You're mean!" cried Mikan.

Mikan is now a different, more beautiful girl: her long, brown hair down to her back, just above the waist. She even grew a little bit taller. Yet, like before, she's still a klutz sometimes.

"Baka. Baka…" started Hotaru, each mention of 'baka' makes the brunette cringe. "…Baka."

Hotaru grew as tall as her friend. But, unlike Mikan's tresses, her navy blue hair is shoulder-length.

Mikan caught a glimpse of a certain raven-head. An uneasy feeling crept into her, as if she lost something, or was about to lose that something—a stomach-churning sensation. She turned to her friend, "Hotaru, I… gotta go!" trying her hardest to smile, she left.

* * *

"Natsume, Natsume!"

Hearing his name, the tall raven-haired guy turned to his caller: Mikan is approaching.

Th-thump

His heart's beats were suddenly set into a rapid motion. Natsume managed to at least say something.

"Mikan."

As always, a smile is seen from her Mikan's face. Aside from that smile, the boy can also see a hint of worry and anxiety in her eyes. He searched for the right words to ask her why, but he found none, so he kept quiet.

Mikan, who seemed to have read his expression, answered his silent question.

"I'm okay, Natsume!" and she smiled her usual sweet smile.

"Listen, I have to tell you something," Natsume started seriously.

The brunette looked serious as well. Her smile is gone, "What is it?"

She was afraid to hear what he will say next: maybe a confession? She's not ready for that; will he ask Mikan what she really feels? No way, he's not one to ask those things; what could be the problem?

These thoughts bother her so she asked again, "What is it, Natsume?"

Now the teen boy looked hesitant, not wanting to let her know but wanting to say goodbye. His heart and mind debating irritatingly, he gave up. _'For everyone's sake, I'll say it.'_ And Natsume carefully chose the appropriate words to say, commanding his red eyes not to meet the other's brown ones.

"I'm leaving."

* * *

a/n! I feel like making this a oneshot. It can be a chapter story, too! Anyways, if you want to make it a chapter story… let's see… maybe I can give you a week to review. And then the number of reviews will be the number of chapters! Yeay:D 


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. I'm sure you don't, too. Well, maybe someday ;)**

"_Promises are like babies: easy to make, hard to deliver."_

_Author Unknown_

* * *

**ONE—**

The brunette was flabbergasted; disbelief was evident on her face.

"_I'm leaving?"_

'_You're kidding. You've got to be…'_ Mikan smiled, pretending not to have heard and understood. She looked at Natsume expectantly, waiting for him to add a statement that will testify the fallacy of the announcement. She waited, but not a word was said. Her smile faded and anxiety took over…

"D-don't say that. Y-you're not leaving, right?" asked Mikan.

"…I am," said Natsume as he slowly turned away from Mikan, until his back was already on her.

He blamed his decision to tell her for his current dilemma. He gaped at a group of youngsters playing dodge ball. The ball they were using was an Alice ball, a special sphere that reacts to the Alice you own. Miraculously, he found the game really amusing. Especially right now.

Mikan observed the boy in front of her. _'Tall with raven hair, has an earring in one ear, red eyes, that bored look, insensitive, the only one who calls me "Polka dots", the only one I argue with, the only one I love…'_ She recalled and rediscovered Natsume: from his face to his features, from what they used to do before to what he is to her.

The dodge ball game ended. Now Natsume has no reason to stare at the empty fields or anywhere but Mikan. He faced the girl. _'Long brown hair, a little shorter than me, beautiful, always smiling, caring, kind, my "Polka dots", my love…'_ Natsume memorized the features of the girl for when his nine-month absence is over, he'll gaze at her again and see if she has changed or not.

So, for a moment they stood like that in silence - looking at each other, taking in the last gaze they will have before Natsume leaves. Finally, one broke the silence.

"…How long will you be gone?" asked Mikan.

"9 months. But promise you'll wait for me," replied the raven-haired boy.

"…I-I will."

* * *

_The next day…_

Mikan entered her classroom with a bright smile in her face.

"Good morning!" she greeted brightly. Her classmates greeted back with either a smile or a nod. She searched for her best friend.

Hotaru was sitting in the far end corner of the classroom, reading the blueprint of her new invention. The brunette approached her.

"Good morning, Hotaru!" she greeted once more.

Without looking up, Hotaru answered, "I heard you once, Mikan."

It made the other girl frown and pout. "You could reply a little bit nicer, you know…"

"Hey, do you know where Natsume is?" asked Ruka all of a sudden, looking towards Natsume's desk. "I haven't seen him since yesterday. Have you?"

Hotaru shrugged, her purple eyes still glued to her latest invention's blueprint.

This saddened Mikan. "I…" she started, but she stopped when their teacher entered the classroom. All the other students quieted down at his presence.

"Okay class, check the attendance and we'll start our lessons." The towering, dark-haired, stern teacher said.

"Yes, sir!" answered the class.

Mikan looked at the empty seat, wishing it was still occupied. But it wasn't; it won't be in use for a long time.

The first day without Natsume.

* * *

In the corner of a dark room, a silhouette stood, as if looking at something or someone. It calmly stared, not moving from its place, with an undeterminable expression. Finally, in the midst of silence, someone spoke up.

"I did what you wanted me to do. What now?" asked a male voice.

The silhouette moved towards the speaker. "I guarantee you this will be easy," it replied.

"Get straight to the point! WHAT NOW, PERSONA?" demanded the first speaker.

"Simple, you just have to do this one last mission of yours," answered Persona.

"And what's the mission?" questioned Natsume.

Persona tossed a picture and Natsume caught it. The latter saw that the photograph shows a girl who looked around his age. "Go to America and find the lady in the picture."

Natsume was taken aback. "That's all? I'll be gone in 9 months for that?"

"Yes, that's all," Persona confirmed, still only his shadow seen, "For now."


End file.
